Radical Belief
Is belief dangerous?
I was listening to John Mayer’s fantastic album, Continuum, recently, and was reminded of that question as I listened to his song, “Belief.” (As an aside, while I often disagree with his worldview, I continue to be amazed and inspired by Mayer’s terrific songwriting.)
The song is in many ways a political statement, but it reflects some commonly held secular thoughts about religious belief. The first is that all religions are essentially equal. Each contains a certain measure of truth and thus what you believe (or don’t) is really immaterial.
The problem is that it only takes a cursory look at world religions to realize that you can’t say “all religions are essentially equal” and maintain your intellectual integrity. Muslims believe that Jesus was not God. Christians believe that he was God. Someone has to be wrong.
The second worldview is in many ways an extension of the first. Since all religions are essentially equal, the real problem is when we fight over them. (Have you seen the bumper stickers that say “Coexist,” while creatively incorporating symbols of all the major world religions?) Thus, what we really need is less radical religious belief. That kind of belief is dangerous.
Of course, as Christians, we agree with the part about not fighting each other. After all, it was Jesus who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9) and Paul who said, “As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18).
But do we really need less radical belief? This assertion fundamentally ignores the fact that everyone believes something. As Albert Mohler said, “Every thinking person operates out of some kind of worldview.” Thus what we really need is an ability to distinguish between beliefs that lead to life and beliefs that lead to death.
Consider the teachings of Jesus. Do we really need less radical belief in compassion? Less people willing to give radically to the poor and needy? Less believers who radically love their enemies? A less radical stand on the equality of men and women of all races?
Do we really need less radical grace to cover our sin?
No, I believe that what we truly need is more radical belief in the right things. And those things are worth fighting for, not with worldly weapons, but in the same way Jesus fought: with love and truth, laying down his life so that we might have something to radically believe in.
